I wanted to create a thread that focuses on the subject centered around government "entitlements". The left appears to quickly jump on the band wagon of receiving more government "entitlements", as long as they aren't the ones that have to pay for it. Attempting to cut entitlement spending to balance the budget also seems to create quite an angry stir, just look at the violence that's erupting in Greece for example. There are a few questions that I'd would like to have discussed on this subject.

For those that support government "entitlements" is there a limit to how many entitlements, or how much, an individual ought to receive? Health care, a home, retirement . . . how much is enough?

Is there really a "justification" in having the rich pay for the bill, while others simply receive from the government?

Does it really help an individual towards, or does it enable them from, working to achieve a better way of life for themselves? I came across this article that raised a lot of these questions, about individuals who look to receive what they feel the Federal Government ought to provide.

Man living as an adult baby is cleared of Social Security fraudBy Stephen Dinan-The Washington TimesTuesday, October 18, 2011

The California man who lives part of his life as an adult baby and collects Social Security disability payments says the federal agency has cleared him of wrongdoing and will continue sending checks.

Stanley Thornton Jr. now wants an apology from Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican who called for the benefit review because the investigation disrupted the final months of life for his roommate Sandra Dias, who playacted as his mother, spoon-feeding him and helping him into his baby clothes until her death in July.

We recently reviewed the evidence in your Social Security disability claim and find that your disability is continuing, the agency said in an August letter that Mr. Thornton posted on the website he maintains to document his adult baby lifestyle.

Mr. Thornton first gained prominence after he appeared on a reality television show and later after Mr. Coburn asked for the Social Security Administration to investigate him. The lawmaker questioned why he was receiving taxpayer-funded Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, commonly called disability checks, given the woodworking skills he demonstrated in May on the National Geographic channel television show Taboo.

Dias died July 7, and Mr. Thornton moved out of the apartment they shared. He told The Washington Times they had made payments based on their combined disability checks, which came to about $860 a month for each of them, and he could no longer afford the home on his own.

My best friend Sandra had to spend the last 3 months of her life being accused of something she didnt do. Having her family and 3 kids seeing her accused on the nightly news of something she didnt do, he wrote in an extensive post explaining the situation on the website he runs at www.BedWettingAB/DL.com for others who play-act as babies, wear diapers or wet their beds.

John Hart, a spokesman for Mr. Coburn, said Tuesday that the senator, who is also a medical doctor, is still puzzled by how a grown man who is able to design and build adult-sized baby furniture is eligible for disability benefits.

Yet, the problem is not with Mr. Thornton, per se, but with the politicians and bureaucrats who have coddled him, Mr. Hart said. Disability fraud effectively steals from those who are truly disabled, while weakening the economy for everyone.

Why do liberals desire to see huge cuts in military spending, but don't want to see any government entitlements like social security touched or reformed into personal investment accounts? If the national debt and spending MUST be reduced, we must look at entitlements like social security. We can't continue to add government entitlements, like government healthcare, without adding to an even larger national debt that we simply can not afford. To have the Rich pay for the American Jobs Act, and the National Debt, and Health Care, and any loss in Social Security will not be enough. Eventually Democrats will have to pass that bill down to the middle class in the form of increased taxes.

Why do liberals desire to see huge cuts in military spending cut, but don't want to see any government entitlements like social security touched or reformed into personal investment accounts? If the national debt and spending must be reduced, we must look at entitlements like social security.

Click to expand...

Workers didn't contribute to defense/military like they paid into Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives via payroll taxes. So how can they be compared for spending cuts?

I think we should be like other industrialized nations and have free healthcare as well as education. A home? No one is suggesting that at all.

If welfare makes one lazy then Israel has to be the laziest of all, but that reasoning doesnt sit well with the Republican worship of Israel.

I believe if you give a man a crutch that doesnt mean he loses the will to walk, it's temporary. Some people are ok with using a crutch for the rest of their lives but that is the exception, not the rule. For some reason tho, repubs like to point at the exceptions as proof of widespread abuse. I.E. voter fraud, welfare drug testing, using abortion as birth control etc.

Why do liberals desire to see huge cuts in military spending cut, but don't want to see any government entitlements like social security touched or reformed into personal investment accounts? If the national debt and spending must be reduced, we must look at entitlements like social security.

Click to expand...

Workers didn't contribute to defense/military like they paid into Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives via payroll taxes. So how can they be compared for spending cuts?

Click to expand...

Why are Americans forced into programs like social security by the government? Each generation that enters the work force don't believe that social security will be there when they get older. The Federal Government only seems to offer a "band-aid" (like raising the retirement age in hopes fewer people will be able to collect) and no real solutions in making sure there are enough funds to support those that reach retirement. I'd rather support private retirement accounts. I know I can do a lot better at planning my retirement than the Federal Government.

Why do liberals desire to see huge cuts in military spending cut, but don't want to see any government entitlements like social security touched or reformed into personal investment accounts? If the national debt and spending must be reduced, we must look at entitlements like social security.

Click to expand...

Workers didn't contribute to defense/military like they paid into Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives via payroll taxes. So how can they be compared for spending cuts?

I think we should be like other industrialized nations and have free healthcare as well as education. A home? No one is suggesting that at all.

If welfare makes one lazy then Israel has to be the laziest of all, but that reasoning doesnt sit well with the Republican worship of Israel.

I believe if you give a man a crutch that doesnt mean he loses the will to walk, it's temporary. Some people are ok with using a crutch for the rest of their lives but that is the exception, not the rule. For some reason tho, repubs like to point at the exceptions as proof of widespread abuse. I.E. voter fraud, welfare drug testing, using abortion as birth control etc.

Click to expand...

I think we should be like other industrialized nations and have free healthcare as well as education.

Click to expand...

The biggest problem we have in this country is knowledge of the facts...
Free healthcare/free education is one of them...
The left thinks of them as free...
They are not

I was not given a choice. A lot of my earnings were simply stolen in exchange for the benifits I am now due to recieve. And now you want the government to fail to honor its' part of the contract?
Are you suicidal? Is the government?

Why do liberals desire to see huge cuts in military spending cut, but don't want to see any government entitlements like social security touched or reformed into personal investment accounts? If the national debt and spending must be reduced, we must look at entitlements like social security.

Click to expand...

Workers didn't contribute to defense/military like they paid into Social Security and Medicare their entire working lives via payroll taxes. So how can they be compared for spending cuts?

I think we should be like other industrialized nations and have free healthcare as well as education. A home? No one is suggesting that at all.

If welfare makes one lazy then Israel has to be the laziest of all, but that reasoning doesnt sit well with the Republican worship of Israel.

I believe if you give a man a crutch that doesnt mean he loses the will to walk, it's temporary. Some people are ok with using a crutch for the rest of their lives but that is the exception, not the rule. For some reason tho, repubs like to point at the exceptions as proof of widespread abuse. I.E. voter fraud, welfare drug testing, using abortion as birth control etc.

Click to expand...

I think we should be like other industrialized nations and have free healthcare as well as education.

Click to expand...

The biggest problem we have in this country is knowledge of the facts...
Free healthcare/free education is one of them...
The left thinks of them as free...
They are not

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